Water sprayer



y 1952 M. SIGMUND 2,604,360

. WATER SPRAYER.

Filed Nov. 26, 1947 Patented July 22, 1952 WATER SPRAYER MiroslavSigmund, Gosforth, England Application November 26, 1947, Serial No.788,137 In Great Britain November 12, 1945 Section 1; Public Law 690,August 8, 1946 Patent expires November 12, 1965 Claims. (Cl. 299--68)The present invention relates to improvements in water sprayers of thetype comprising a nozzle usually rotatable, and a water diffusing oratomising element rotatably mounted on the nozzle so that the peripherythereof projects into the path of the Water jet from the nozzle,rotation of the diffusing element and if necessary also the nozzle,being eliected byreaction pressure of the water jet emerging from thenozzle, and the extent to which the said diffuser or atomiser elementprojects into the path of the water jet being variable.

In accordance with the invention a water sprayer is provided comprisinga jet nozzle and a rotary diffusing element for the jet, said diffusingelement being arranged to rotate in a plane of rotation intersecting thepath of the jet about the axis of a supporting member itself movablerelative to the jet nozzle under the reaction pressure between the jetand the diffusing element to move the axis of rotation of the diffusingelement and thereby vary the extent of the projection of the diffusingelement itself rotatable in a bearing connected with the jet nozzle andconstructed to permit movement of the shaft towards and away from thenozzle, the'said shaft being utilised in conjunction with suitablereduction gearing to impart rotation to the jet nozzle.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a completesprayer,

Fig. 2 is a view in section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and on a largerscale, of the gearing utilised to rotate the jet nozzle,

Fig. 3 is an end view partly in section andon a larger scale lookingtowards the end of the nozzle in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1;and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the jet nozzle taken on the line 44 ofFig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the jet nozzle is formed by a tubular barrelI having a suitable jet aperture 2 at one end and fixedly connected atthe other end to a curved hollow body 3.

The curved hollow body 3 is fixedly connected with an inner tubularextension 4 which is a rotating fit within a sleeve 5 supported by acollar 6 in a tripod 1, the lower end of the tubular ex- 2 tension 4engaging a shoulder 8 within sleeve 5. The sleeve 5 is provided at itslower end with a junction piece 9 for connection with a water supplypipe (not shown).

At the upper end of the sleeve 5 is'fixedly mounted a ring i0 withinwhich the tubular extension 4 can rotate, the ring in being providedwith a radially outwardly directed flange ll Packing rings l2 areprovided between the sleeve 5 and the tubular extension 4 to provide awatertight joint.

The curved hollow body 3 at its lower end is surrounded by an integrallyformed curved section flange [3 which covers the radial flange ll onring l0, and the space within the flange I3 is closed from below by aring l4 between which and the lower side of radial flange I I is mountedan anti-friction thrust bearing l5. The outer periphery of radial flangeII is toothed to form a worm gear wheel. 7

When the sprayer is mounted, as shown in Fig. 1, the barrel l extends atan upward inclination and is adapted to rotate on the bearing l5 aboutthe vertically disposed axis of sleeve 5.

The barrel 1 at the outlet endis preferably filled with a nest ofparallel tubes-l6, Figs. 1 and 4, to eliminate or reduce turbulence. I

The diffuser is in the form of a spoked wheel I! having a plurality ofuniformly inclined vanes [8 formed on its periphery. As an examplethevanes are inclined at an angle of about 45 to the plane of the wheel andmay be of uniform angular width and spacing with the exception of two ormore vanes l8 equally distributed around the periphery; which are of.approximately twice the angular width and radial length of the others.The circumferential spacing between adjacent vanes I8 may be a smallfraction e. g. one fifth the angular width of the small vanes, thespacing between a large vane i8 and adjacent small vanes however beingsomewhat greater.

The diffuser or vane wheel I! is fixedly mounted on the end of a shaft I9 extending alongside the nozzle I and rotatably supported in bearingsconnected with the nozzle, the plane of rotation of the vane wheel ordifiuser l1 extending in a general direction normal to the axis of thenozzle and with the peripheral vanes I 8 and I8 thereof arranged toproject into the path of a water jet emerging from the nozzle.

The wheel I! is preferably braced by means of a spider the arms 20 ofwhich radiate from an extension of the wheel hub.

The bearing for the forward end. of the shaft i9 is formed by a bush 2|which is carried in trunnion bearings 22 between the extremities of apair of arms 23 rigid with, and extending outwards from, a yoke 24. Theends of the yoke are mounted on pivots 25 provided on diametricallyopposite sides of the barrel and axially aligned with one another sothat the yoke may swing towards and away from the barrel I. The axes ofthe trunnion bearings 22 and of the pivots 25 in the case illustratedlie in or near a common plane. A flange 26 serves to limit thelongitudinal movement of the shaft |9 in the bush 2| in the outwarddirection i. e. to the right in Fi 1.

The other end of the shaft is provided with a sliding coupling formed bya pin 21 on the main part of the shaft sliding in longitudinal slots 28in a sleeve extension 29, and the sleeve extension is connected througha flexible joint 30 with the spindle 3| of a gear worm 32 mounted inbearings in a casing 33 fixed to the flange 53 on curved hollow part 3.

The worm 32 (Fig. 2) meshes with a worm wheel 34 fast on a spindle 35driving a further worm 36 which meshes with the teeth on the peripheryof the radial flange H on ring it fixed at the upper end of stationarysleeve 5.

When the sprayer is set in operation the water jet from outlet 2impinges upon the inclined vanes l8, l8 of the vane wheel I! thedirection of impact being such as to deflect the water upwards. Thewheel I! is thus set into rotation together with the shaft I9 on whichthe wheel is fixed, so that drive is imparted to the gearing 32, 34, 36and the barrel or jet nozzle is rotated about the vertical axis of thestationary toothed flange I|. Pressure of the jet on the vanes of thewheel I! during speeding up causes the rotating shaft I9 to move, firsta small distance longitudinally along the barrel asis permitted by thesliding coupling 21, 28, 29, to bring the flange 26 fast on the shaft |9into engagement with the end of the bush 2 I, and thereafter the yoke 24and the integral arms 23 carrying the bush 2| are rocked about thepivots 25 so that the bush 2| is moved outwards from a position close tothe barrel l as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, to a position such asthat shown in Fig. 1 or in full lines in Fig. 3, the bush turning in itstrunnion bearings 22, so that the forward end of the shaft |9 takes aposition further from the axis of the barrel as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The vanes of the diffuser I! are thus caused to withdraw at leastpartially from the path of the water jet as shown in Fig. 3 so that thewater impinges upon the edges or peripheries of the small vanes l8instead of in the region of the centres thereof while still meeting thelarge vanes l8 near their centres.

Under these running conditions continued rotation of the vaned wheel I!with shaft l3, and therefore also of the jet nozzle about theverticalaxis, is effected at least for the main part by impact of the jet on thelarger vanes It. Movement of the shaft l9 and the diffuser I! in thereverse direction to that described above, 1. e. when returning to restafter use, or upon re duction of the water pressure, is effected in thecase illustrated by gravity.

In use the water is distributed by the diffuser I! in the approximateform of a flat curtain closely simulating rain, the curtain movingslowly about the vertical axis of rotation of the jet nozzle.

Water striking the large vanes i8 falls to the ground in such manner asto form approximately the half of the curtain nearest to the sprayerwhilst the more distant half or part of the curtain is formed by waterwhich has been deflected by the smaller vanes l8.

As an example, with a water pressure of about 60 lbs. per square inchthe diffuser will rotate with a speed in the region of 3500 revs. perminute, the jet nozzle making one complete turn in about 1 minutes.

The length of the curtain can, within limits, be maintainedapproximately constant with different water pressures by varying thearea of the jet orifice e. g. by substituting one nozzle end foranother.

I claim:

1. A water sprayer comprising a jet nozzle adapted to project a waterjet at an upward inclination when in use, a rotary diffusing elementadapted to rotate in a plane intersecting the path of the water jet fromsaid nozzle so as to break up the water jet, a shaft carrying saidrotary diffusing element and rotatable therewith, a bearing for saidshaft including a sleeve itself mounted to rock in a plane substantiallyparallel with the jet nozzle, a carrying member for said sleeve pivotedon the jet nozzle for movement of the sleeve carried by said carryingmember to wards and away from the jet nozzle, and a flange on the shaftadapted to engage and move the sleeve in the direction away from the jetnozzle by an endwise movement of the shaft imparted thereto by pressureof the water jet on the diffusing element.

2. A water sprayer comprising a jet nozzle, adapted to project a waterjet at an upward inclination when in use, a rotary diffusing elementadapted to rotate in a plane intersecting the path of the water jet fromsaid jet nozzle so as to break up the water jet, said rotary diffusingelement being also adapted for movement of limited extent in thedirection of its axis of rotation, a shaft extending alongside andlongitudinally of the jet nozzle said shaft carrying said rotarydiffusing element and being rotatable therewith, a bearing for saidshaft, a carrying member for said bearing freely pivoted on said jetnozzle to swing said bearing towards and away from and longitudinally ofsaid jet nozzle and in a plane substantially parallel with said jetnozzle, said pivoted carrying member being movable in one directionabout its pivot by movement of the rotary diffusing element in thedirection of the axis of the said shaft, by pressure of the water jet onsaid diffusing element.

3. A water sprayer comprising a jet nozzle adapted to project a waterjet at an upward inclination when in use, a rotary diffusing elementadapted to rotate in a plane intersecting the path of the water jet fromsaid jet nozzle under reaction pressure of the Water jet, and thusacting to break up the water jet, said rotary diffusing element beingalso adapted for movement of limited extent in the direction of its axisof rotation, an axis shaft for said diffusing element, means supportingsaid axis shaft parallel to the generaldirection of the axis of said jetnozzle, said supporting means including a bearing member for said axisshaft and a carrying member for said bearing member located near the endof said axis shaft adjacent said diffusing element and freely pivotedfor swinging movement on said jet nozzle to move said bearing member ina plane substantially parallel with the jet nozzle,

and an abutment on said axis shaft adapted to transmit axial movementsof said diffusing element and its axis shaft to said bearing member andsaid carrying member to effect swinging movements thereof in said planeand movement of the axis shaft towards and away from said jet nozzle,thereby varying the extent of the projection of said diffusing elementinto the path of the jet.

1. A water sprayer comprising a base support, a jet nozzle mounted forrotation about a fixed axis on said base support and adapted to projecta water jet at an upward inclination when in use, a rotary diffusingelement adapted to rotate in a plane intersecting the path of the waterjet from said jet nozzle under reaction pressure of the water jet, andthus acting to break up the water jet, said rotary diffusing elementbeing also adapted for movement of limited extent in the direction ofits axis of rotation, and axis shaft carrying said diffusing element androtatable by and with said diffusing element, means supporting said axisshaft parallel to the general direction of the axis of said jet nozzle,said supporting means including a bearing Inember for said axis shaftand a carrying member for said bearing member located near the end ofsaid axis shaft adjacent said diffusing element and freely pivoted forswinging movement on said jet nozzle to move said bearing member in aplane substantially parallel with the jet nozzle, an abutment on saidaxis shaft adapted to transmit axial movements of said diffusing elementand its axis shaft to said bearing member and said carrying member toeffect swinging movements thereof and movement of the axis shaft in saidplane towards and away from said jet nozzle, thereby varying the extentof the projection of said diffusing element into the path of thejet,gearing between said axis shaft and said rotatable jet nozzle and asliding coupling between said axis shaft and said gearing whereby saidgearing may be driven by said axis shaft and said jet nozzle rotated onsaid base support.

5. A Water sprayer comprising a base support, a jet nozzle mounted forrotation about a fixed axis on said base support and adapted to projecta water jet at an upward inclination when in use, a rotary diffusingelement adapted to rotate in a plane intersecting the path of the waterjet from said jet nozzle under reaction pressure of the water jet, andthus acting to break up the water jet, said rotary diffusing elementbeing also adapted for movement of limited extent in the direction ofits axis for rotation, an axis shaft carrying said diffusing element androtatable by and with said diffusing element, means supporting said axisshaft parallel to the general direction of the axis of said jet nozzle,said supporting means including a bearing member for said axis shaft anda carrying member for said bearing member located near the end of saidaxis shaft adjacent said diffusing element and freely pivoted forswinging movement on said jet nozzle about an axis in a substantiallyvertical plane containing the axis of the jet nozzle, and approximatelynormal to the axis of the jet nozzle, to move said bearing member in aplane substantially parallel with the jet nozzle, and an abutment onsaid axis shaft adapted to transmit axial movements of said diffusingelement and its axis shaft to said bearing member and said carryingmember to effect swinging movements thereof in said plane approximatelyparallel with the jet nozzle, and movement of the axis shaft towards andaway from said jet nozzle, thereby varying the extent of the projectionof said diffusing element into the path of the jet.

MIROSLAV SIGMUND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,763,979 Nelson June 17, 19302,310,796 Lappin Feb. 9, 1943 2,535,469 Wanke Dec. 26, 1950 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 143,109 Austria Oct. 25, 1935 265,225 GreatBritain July 21, 1927 275,593 Italy June 27, 1930 561,670 Germany Oct.17, 1932

